Louth GAA club | Healy: It's unbelievable

There were scenes of joy at the Integral GAA Grounds on Sunday afternoon as Naomh Máirtín claimed their third Louth Senior Football Championship title by beating Newtown Blues.

Defender Seán Healy spoke of the team spirit that led his side to victory. He said, “Yeah, it's unbelievable. From one to 40, lads putting their bodies on the line, even the subs that came on.

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“We knew that it was going to be a tight battle against the Blues. They’re such an experienced team, such great players as well. We knew it was going to come right down to the very line. We're glad that we got a bit of a performance as well.

“That was kind of the biggest thing. I know it's very hard going into finals to control the emotions and stuff like that, but we stuck to the game plan and we carried it out pretty well, and we're very happy with it.

“We kind of knew going through the championship, we had to improve as we were going along. We had five-minute spells where we were kind of out of it, especially in the Pats game.

“Coming towards the end of the (Dundalk) Gaels game, we fell asleep a few times. We were trying to get that ultimate performance. We were trying to get the full 60, 65 minutes. It's gone our way.

“We can really control what's inside our dressing room, and we put that expectation on ourselves. It's always the aim to get the Joe Ward at the end of the day. The Blues are a great team. They’re tough.

“The Mochtas, the Pats, Ardee, the Louth Championship is really thriving at the minute, especially as it's coming through inter-county as well. It's really showing the club championship.

“We knew we had to keep on carrying this on until 60, 65 minutes and just getting the bodies and the ball over the line to win the game.”

“That's what’s worth it. All the pain and the agony that comes through year by year. The effort that you put in, that feeling of winning that first championship, you get obsessed with it,” he said.

“No matter who it is, management, players have stepped away, players have stepped in, everyone in the club and the team has that same goal and are willing to put their bodies on the line and willing to put the work in.

“It's just unbelievable relief that we're able to get over the line and see all that work pay off.

“It's an unbelievable day. That goes down to the work for the committee and the coaches underage. It's just stepping these lads up, and we just have to keep that going,” Healy said.

“We can't stand on our laurels and be happy with what we've got. We have to keep on pushing on, and it's unbelievable. These younger lads are pushing us out of the team when we're coming along. That's what you want.”

With older brother Conor also part of the winning side, the Healy family had plenty to celebrate.

“What a feeling. Just so happy, even for our mother and father, I know how much they put into the team, especially my father as well, chairman for a long, long time.

“It's just really for them at the end of the day that we love doing it. The people that are helping out at the club they've been years and years; they haven't had the chance to play in senior finals.

“It's really about playing for them as well and getting on the line for them. It's unbelievable.”